(Jericho have I loved) She followed happily after the boy who took her heart, and ignored the burning sun to her body or the sweat pouring down her forehead. As long as he was near she felt contented as least for awhile. When it all began she was so happy it was like magic that had been stowed away and reborn. The look in her big brown eyes no one could make her happier. Jericho walked past all the clothing stores when he came upon one with a red jacket. This wasn’t an ordinary jacket; it was autographed by a famous Japanese manga artist. There were only about one hundred of them in the world. After that they were discontinuing them. He couldn’t outright buy the jacket. They only came with special marked manga packages that owned a ticket. She watched his eyes stare to the coat he wished would be his. -One week Prior- “Oh my gawd I finally got it, ive waited in this line for two hours straight and bought over twenty manga’s, and now the special one marked with the ticket is mine I knew it would be!” Jericho turned to Angelina and placed a kiss to forehead She smiled adoringly at him, happy to see how excited he was over the winning. It was nearly a few hours later when Jericho’s friend Macho phoned him about a new video game that had just come out and were now the rage. Jericho frowned he couldn’t afford this new game. There had to be someway he could get it. He looked at Angelina and the jacket she were trying on. His new jacket with the autographed signature on it and the idea hit him. He could trade the jacket for the new video game. Macho would be sure to go for the idea. Angelina frowned seeing his expression, she tried telling him not to but kept quiet as he dialed away Macho’s digits. ……. Angelina stood there the sun shining down on her long brown hair. She watched the sad look on Jericho’s face, as he took one last look at the jacket in the window and kept on walking. They reached their destination at the bus stop at last; Jericho pouted taking the window seat much to Angelina’s dismay. “I’m determined to get that jacket back;” “Why did you sell it in the first place if it meant that much to you?” “I don’t know….” “I tried to tell you not to trade it in for that video game” “Angelina you’re not helping!” She stayed quiet for the rest of the long ride, ignoring the look on Jericho’s face. She hated the way his stubbornness took over and it was once again his way or the highway. He reached over and grabbed her hand smiling. And once again she knew he had another idea, a way to solve the new situation. They arrived at the stop off, a large shop very old with a short wooden stair case going up it. The shop didn’t make that much money do the more advanced stores around it. But it did have tons of Manga, which was the purpose of their journey. Angelina’s eyes widened as Jericho fished a hundred dollar bill out from his pocket. And was determined to win back his beloved jacket, he so carelessly got rid of a week ago. Jericho ended up buying a hundred dollars worth of manga tarring through the packages as if they were Christmas gifts and he were a little kid in a hurry to see the toy inside. Angelina watched silently curious to see the Manga that she never before read touching one of his priceless boxes. Her hand nearly graced it when she felt the harsh sting. Her eyebrows caved inwardly at Jericho’s glaring eyes. “Don’t touch what isn’t yours” He opened the rest of the packages sighing with the last none had held the ticket marked with the winner of an autographed jacket. They took the next train home in silence. She could tell Jericho was upset and didn’t want to be a hindrance. She smiled to receive nothing but a frown in return. “Why did you have to touch my box for? I would have won it you know” “Superstition is a bad thing Jericho. It is a ball of bad things just leading into one another. People believe black cats are evil, walking under a ladder could kill you, just so people could be aware of things, not to base your life on that’s just sad to witness” “Next time in the future don’t touch my things! Angelina this conversation is over” They soon arrived home later that night; He kissed her lips and hugged her tightly. She sighed determined to make up for the jacket somehow. Even if she knew deep down it wasn’t her fault, and Jericho could have had the jacket. If he hadn’t originally traded it in for the new video game he now neglected. Though still she wanted to make him happy, if he were happy it would mean the world to know to know she caused it. So she saved up her money, even though she still needed it desperately for finishing school she was attending. Since her parents never helped her. She had to pay for it all herself. ………….. Arena looked at Angelina shrugging her shoulders. “You care so much about Jericho and what does he do in return? Make you the air we breathe. Its there we know it is but we can’t see it. Even though we need it, we ignore it for its value” “He cares…I know he does” She exclaimed taking out the money she saved up for so long, about to blow it all on a red autographed jacket, so rare and hard to find at an auction. She outbid many people and finally the prize were hers, a slightly used but not to shabby jacket. The only thing she had to spend twice as much as it were worth. Do to the fact no one sold them. Arena sighed, “You better hope he appreciates what you’re doing for him. That money could have been used on yourself that’s what he would have done” Angelina said nothing handling the jacket as if it were a new born, her big brown eyes glistened. *It would make him happy* were the only thought in her mind. And she would give it to him for the next holiday coming up soon July fourth as a present. …………… She skipped on the way to Jericho’s house the next day, wearing a bright orange sun dress, and her sunglasses. She swiped sweat off her forehead opening the door and making her self at home on his couch. Jericho was busy upstairs on his computer playing with his video game. She was used to being second placed and she guessed it were to his newly neglected game he traded to receive from Macho. She sat still watching television when something small hit her foot. She looked down, seeing the family dog chewing on something, she made for Jericho awhile back, and it was an ordainment she hand crafted. She sighed; this showed so much of how much he cared about Things she bought for him. A few moments later Jericho came down the steps, telling her it was time to go. They arrived at the finishing school on time; before class would start Jericho would shoot hoops with some friends. Of Course Angelina wasn’t asked to join in. she never was so she stuck to her own friends. There was one girl however who continuously got on Angelina’s nerves, a very heavy set one who owned the face of a Mexican cabbage patch kid. With the body of an overly large pineapple, this particular air head constantly flirted with, and would purposely piss off Angelina. This was because Fatenda was jealous over Angelina. For Angelina’s beauty and charm Fatenda could never in her dreams measure up to her. So she would shake her jelly rolls in front of Jericho and be a general bitch. Angelina put up with it for quite awhile until she could no longer attain her gracefulness. She went to Jericho and exclaimed how his psycho jealous posse were interfering with their relationship. He turned to her much to her disapproval of his actions, and shocked her by saying, “I’m neutral to everything; people have a right to their opinions of each other” It was like someone could a large block of ice and buried her emotions deep in that cinder. How could he betray her so? Jericho have I loved. He were so cold and bitter and selfish. Not the boy she loved not the person she wanted to be with. Weeks passed by and soon to be the fourth, when the morning arrived she dressed up accordingly and did her make up best she could. She sat quietly in the car. She went with a few friends on their way to see fireworks. Jericho went with his family he left on a bad note it seemed so fake, A hug and a kiss goodbye, forgetting to tell her that little four letter word. It started raining much to Angelina’s dismay; the driver of the car could barely see the flashing street sign of red. That was the last thing Angelina saw before hearing a thud, the color drained from her eyes while getting knocked unconscious. The car crashed; while the little tune of her cell phone went off unknowingly it was Jericho. ………….. Jericho arrived home four days later, aggravated and a little worried why Angelina hadn’t answered her cell. Was she angry with him for what he said to her? Or had something really happened he didn’t know. He walked home from work later that day bumping into Arena on the street. This was a good thing even though he didn’t like her much, at least perhaps she would know what happened to Angelina. “I was looking for you Jericho” “I wanted to give you this, Angelina Left it at my house before we left.., to go see the fire works” He gave her a puzzled expression as the taller brunette girl handed him the large brown box. “Where is Angelina?” “In the hospital… you see it was raining and my friend Anthony didn’t see the red right. She hit her head rather hard she’ll be ok though the doctor said... There’s just some minor complications” “Such as?” “….memory loss” ………………….. Jericho frowned when he finally arrived home; he walked up the stairs carefully placing the brown box on his bed. He peeled off the scotch tape opening it up to reveal a little card tucked underneath tissue paper neatly done. And read it slowly, I follow you blindly On a road that always leads back to you Little notes follow us happily There is a song only I can hear Its happiness when I’m with you And I know we never meet eye to eye Our thoughts always land in different directions Other than what their planned to Like paper airplanes scattering Jericho have I loved Let me sleep peacefully Even if it’s just for a short while Let me know you love me to After reading the short haku made by Angelina, he carefully moved the tissue paper to reveal a red Autographed jacket signed by the famous manga artist. An exact replica of the one he traded in carelessly. Why did she buy him that? How did she it was impossible to find? And she did it all for him. …………….. His finger pushed the button opening the elevator, stepping in he felt sick to his stomach trying to ignore the guilt. As he reached the top floor the sun glowed brightly to his jacket, making the red seem more vibrant than ever. He made it to room 309, opening the door. White Daisies sat by the large window, the whole room nothing but the color white, and there in the middle laid Angelina. She looked like an angel; he stood over her creating a shadow. He was reluctant to find her awake; he winced at the large gash to her forehead. He waited until her family members had exited the room giving him a moment alone with her, “ I miss having you follow along beside me where ever we go, I didn’t mean to ignore you, when you hold my hand on the bus, …..and ….. Angelina I love you” He poured his heart out, looking at her puzzled expression to her big brown eyes. I’m so sorry… I don’t know what to say… who are you?” The single rose in his hand dropped to the floor, his eyes widened his expression mirrored hers that day he told her told he was neutral to how badly his friend treated her. He let a single tear escape him, *memory loss* he kissed her forehead before making his way to exit the room. Before he could though, he heard a weak voice, as brown eyes looked up at him lovingly, a smile formed to his mouth. to widened to say anything, he didn’t have to she took the right words for him. All he wanted to hear. “Jericho…. I love you to…” | 